Heading off to vacation with family always sounds like an awesome way to spend holidays until the date gets closer and you find yourself overwhelmed by the packing, traveling documents, the trip itself, and of course, the kids.

Travel Hacks

Here are a few hacks that can help you avoid some common meltdowns families experience when traveling…

  1.  Scan all documents
    One of the worse things that can happen to you during your travels is losing your documentation. It isn’t uncommon for tourists to be taken advantage of by robbers. As a tourist, you are likely traveling with important documents. The moment you see your bags been taken away, your heart will skip a beat or two and your holiday will take a sharp turn. To stay on the safe side-scan all your documents so you still some legitimate identification in the worst case scenario.           
  2. Pack efficiently
    If you’re going on a short vacation where you have planned out activities for the day in advance, separate your kid’s clothes accordingly. You’re going to have to sit down in front of the suitcase every morning to pull out clothes and accessories for your kids, why not ease the process by preparing in advance? Based on your plans, select the right clothes for the right day for each of your kids and then put in a specific section of the suitcase. If you want to be more efficient, place clothes for each day in a separate vacuum storage bags (they’ll save space) and then put in into the suitcase. This way you can just pull the bag out every morning instead of wasting time looking for individual pieces. At the end of each day, put the clothes back in the bag and mark it as dirty laundry.
  3. Book a nighttime flight
    Half the pain of traveling with your kids is the time on the plane. Planes are the worse places to be trapped in with your children. Most children do not like sitting in one position for too long, they are forced to do this in planes. The atmosphere is entirely too uncomfortable for them to sit calmly and in this frustration they become easily irritable. To avoid your kid’s tantrums, book your flights so the timings are in line with their bedtime. Children don’t go off their routines easily, even in the most unpleasant settings, they will doze during their bedtime.
  4. Dress kids in layers
    On the plane, you never know if it’s going to be too cold or too hot (no, it’s never just right). If the trip is going to belong, dress your kids in comfortable clothes; sweatpants and sweatshirts are perfect. Also, dress them in layers so they are able to take them off and put them on as they please.
  5. Get groceries   
    The moment you check-in to the hotel, drop your bags, freshen up and head out to the nearest convenience store to do some groceries. Watch what you eat during your vacation because eating out is expensive. Unless money isn’t a problem at all, you’re going to be conscious about how much you’re spending on food. Besides, won’t you rather save the money on more enjoyable activities? Do groceries and pick up the basics, such as bread, butter, jam – anything that helps you save up on your meals. Pick up fruits and vegetables that you eat to keep in your backpacks when you’re on the move and eat as healthy snacks.
  6. Keep some detergent on you as you go through each day your suitcase will become filled with smelly, dirty laundry. Keep a handy, travel-size pack of detergent with you so you can hand-wash some of your clothes. You’ll be able to keep your intimates clean and wear your favorite t-shirt again. Of course, you won’t have as much laundry to do once you’re home if you’ve been doing some during your trip.                                                                                       travel hacks
  7. Tell your kids your plans in advance 
    Children don’t do well when in unexpected situations so let them know of your plans at the beginning of the day. If you’re planning activities before you head out then keep them in the loop so you know how they feel about it.

Photo Credit: freedigitalimages.net

About the Author 

Brooke Whistance is a passionate health and lifestyle blogger who loves to write about prevailing trends. She has been living in Los Angeles, California with her family including, her parents, two siblings and her cats. She is a featured author at various authoritative blogs in the health and fitness industry and currently associated as a blogger with Hourglass Express, providers of quality waist trainers, belly bands, and other weight loss products. You can follow her on Facebook and LinkedIn.”